Frontline managers: Key to marketing success

In pharma marketing, a frontline manager takes care of implementation of sales activities in close co-ordination with PSRs, but his role has remained grossly underrated, says Ujjal Banerjee

The frontline managers play a paramount role in pharma marketing. However, their importance has been neglected and their potential to a great extent has remained untapped. No pharmaceutical company can be successful in domestic marketing if they do not possess in their ranks effective frontline managers. As a corollary to this statement one may ask, ‘Does it mean that one can be successful even after having, as his boss, a less-effective regional manager?’ (this being the pattern of hierarchy, in general). The answer to this is, ‘Yes, it is possible.’

In pharma marketing the role of a frontline manager is perhaps the most under-appreciated role by the industry till date. The frontline managers have different nomenclatures in different companies e.g. area manager, district manager, business development manager etc, but the level of under utilisation remains the same. They are never perceived as a major tool for success.

Co-ordination with PSRs

Let us first try to realise the sensitive position of a frontline manager. On one hand he is at the lowest rung of managerial hierarchy, without any significant authority to make decisions. On the other hand, he is the interface between the management and the pharmaceutical sales representatives (PSRs). The representative perceives him as a member of management and naturally that is the platform, easily available to him to vent all his feelings.

Due to the nature of his work, a frontline manager becomes more familiar to the PSR. But he has to get the result through the representative only. So there must be a strong component of ‘task’ also in this relationship. This balancing act of relation-task can be a nightmare for any hardened professional. But in the pharmaceutical industry all front-line managers are expected to play this role effectively and produce result.

To the outside world, the frontline manager represents the face of the company. He has to play a major role not only to build up the image of the company but also in providing service to the customers.

But is the frontline manager equipped enough to undertake the various roles he has to play to produce the desired result. Is there a clear role regarding his job in a doctor’s chamber, at the stockists point or in a meeting of representatives. How does a frontline manager perceives himself as a nodal point of leadership for field activities.

Key to success

Thus, frontline managers hold the key to success for any pharmaceutical company. In pharma, medical representative or PSR is the functional unit of the marketing activity. And it is frontline manager who is closest to the functional unit. Naturally, he is the person who can keep the functional unit in the most productive state. He is also best positioned to look after the growth, in the widest sense of the term of the functional unit.

As the customer orientation component is extremely crucial in pharma marketing, the implementation of various programmes of promotional activity of the company plays a very significant role for success of any company. The frontline manager is the person who can take care of the implementation at the grassroot level and take immediate corrective measures for any deviation.

Beyond monitoring implementation, the nature of pharma marketing entails much effort to keep track of various details covering different facets of the market. The innumerable small details in any given market adds up to produce the bigger result. The role of a frontline manager in this segment cannot be over emphasised.

As communication remains the platform on which the pharma marketing activity progresses, the frontline manager truly has to play the role of a prima donna. It is a pity that till today this critical position has not been perceived by the overall pharma industry. But with fast-changing scenario, the pharma companies will have to realise that frontline managers hold the key to their success. They must plan and invest in this line of command.

The writer is based in Kolkata and can be contacted at ujjal—banerjee@hotmail.com